The Hidden Truth

Chapter 12

The basement was colder than Lena expected. Down there, the air smelled of wet concrete and something metallic—rust or dried-up blood traces, she suspected, and shivered.

Noah's flashlight cast a very long shadow on the bare concrete wall. The room was empty, yet not empty. The room was filled with metal shelves stacked high with boxes that had dates and symbols on them. There was an old workbench in the corner, covered with dust, and a priceless bottle of wine beside it.

Noah closed the downstairs door softly.

"We don't have a lot of time," he whispered. "We have to get to work in a hurry."

Lena nodded, her heart racing. Quick. Good. Sign in and out.

But his gaze didn't leave the boxes.

Something about them bothered him. "Noah," he said, gesturing. "What's happening?"

Noah looked at the shelves and shook his head. "We can't waste time to find out what Ethan is keeping here. His office is upstairs. That is where we go."

But Lena was unsure. He reached for one of the boxes and opened the top with care. Inside, the stacks of documents were neatly arranged - a list of names and pictures placed on the front of each folder.

His stomach twisted.

They were more than just names.

They were people. Some he knew. Former employees. Investors. A colleague who was close to Ethan disappeared without a trace.

One of the documents had a thick red line and the word "END" printed in large letters. Lena frowned.

Noah cursed inwardly as he scanned the area. "This isn't just a record. This is the goal."

Lena stroked her finger over the red text.

If Ethan killed these people, then there was something—a deal, an agreement, something you could turn around on him. She looked over at Noah. "We have to get rid of this."

Noah took a moment before he nodded. "Okay, but we cannot move everything, just what we can."

Lena's hands shook as she jammed more things into her backpack.

She had known Ethan was evil. But this?

Here's the sign.

If he had a sign, it meant Ethan did not want him to leave.

He wanted him dead.

---

Move up

The stairway to the main house was narrow, and little noise could be heard under his weight with every step. Lina's breathing was so strained and the noise of her own heart beating like a drum inside her ears; it was unbearable.

They reached the door of the upstairs. Noa pressed against it and listened.

Was silent.

He stalled, rotated the doorknob carefully, and then nudged the door ajar. A faint hall stretched out in front of him, its waxed wood floors reflecting like glass. Sunlight flooded through tall windows, casting reflections off expensive-looking furniture.

Lena had traveled this way before.

But tonight, they looked different.

Dangerous. Noah motioned her to follow him, and they went inside.

---

Research

The study was on the opposite side of the hall, past Ethan's home gym and a dramatic staircase to the second floor.

They moved stealthily, freezing at the stairs to listen.

Ethan wasn't supposed to be here tonight.

But if he.

Lena gulped. There was no contingency plan for this.

They entered the study. Noah extracted a narrow piece of paper from his pocket and spread it out as Lena watched.

Click.

The door opened slowly with a creak. They entered.

He remembered his office just as he did—dark wood floors, a large mahogany desk, a bookshelf filled with early books Ethan never read.

There was the smell of old paper and a hint of cigarette smoke.

Noah rushed over to the bookshelf and ran his hand over the spine of the book. "If it's safe, it's behind one of them."

Lena glanced about the room. Something was amiss.

The atmosphere was somber as if the entire room was observing them.

Then he saw.

There was a glass of whiskey on the table.

It was still full. It was still cold.

His blood went cold.

"Noah," he breathed. "Someone's here."

Noah spun around. "What?"

He indicated the glass. They're not alone.

A voice at the far end of the road.

Footsteps.

Unhurried. It can be measured. Go towards them.

Noah cursed low beneath his breath. "We have to do it."

He removed a book from the shelf, revealing a metal plate on top of a coin.

Lena's heart pounding, she drew out her locksmith tools and went to work.

The footsteps sounded nearer. Lena stepped away from the safe, pressed against the wall, and clutched her only weapon, a small pocket knife in her holster.

The doorpost groaned.

The door opened.

Lena was not breathing.

A shadowy figure was standing before the door, silhouette against the light of the street. The protrusion in his throat.

This was not Ethan.

This was the second man he had commanded; he had seen him a number of times before.

"Miss Carter," he spoke quietly. "You're not here."

Lina's hand went to her knife. Noah continued working safely out of range, moving forward slowly.

"You haven't," Lena tried to keep her voice level.

The man laughed. "Oh, but you do have to say, Master Ethan is looking forward to this little outing. He always plans.".

Lina gasped in shock.

Does Ethan know?

The man moved into the room without sound.

Lena looked at Noah. He was within reach, his hand tracing over the levers of safety. He had to step in.

"Ethan's not here," she said.

"So I guess you're the welcome committee?"

The man laughed. "Something like that."

One step closer.

Lena's muscles tensed. He had seconds before death broke.

Then-

Click.

The safe door grated open.

Noah stretched out, reached for the papers, and shoved them into his bag.

The man's gaze turned to Noah. A fraction of a second before she could get her gun out, Lena saw movement.

She acted on impulse.

Breathing deeply, she ran at him.

She had no chance to get the gun into position when the knife sliced across her hand. She gasped in agony, stepping back, her gun dropping. Noah wasted no time.

He scooped up Lena's hand and ran.

---

The frantic flight

They rushed down the corridor, a shriek echoing behind them.

Lena pushed on, her chest ablaze, her feet pounding.

They made the turn—

Almost killing two more people. Lina came to a halt.

Noah cursed in his mind.

The men reflexively reached for arms.

Lina's thoughts were racing.

They couldn't turn back. They couldn't move forward.

Then he saw—

A window at the far end of the hall.

He locked eyes with Noah.

He nodded.

They ran there without hesitation. The gunman shouted - too late.

Noah grabbed a chair and slammed it into the glass.

The trash bursted outside.

Lena didn't even get to think before Noah jumped on it and took her hand.

The! world was upside down. It hit the air, and it hit the ground and rolled.

Lena got a stabbing spasm in her shoulder, but she shook it off and tried to stand up.

Noah growled beside her. "move!"

They ran.

A bullet went off behind them, bullets jumping forward, blowing the grass apart. Lena dodged wildly, running full-out, the bite of the rush of adrenaline leaving her feeling sick. Noah ran beside her, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Trees. Just to the tree line.

Ten feet.

Five. So—they were swallowed by the darkness.

They succeeded.

This time.